CVE-2002-0413 in ReBB
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting vulnerability in ReBB allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Javascript and steal cookies via an IMG tag whose URL includes the malicious script.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0413 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the ReBB web application framework that enables remote attackers to inject malicious javascript code through crafted image tags. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of web application security and client-side execution, creating a dangerous attack vector that can compromise user sessions and data integrity. The specific exploitation technique involves embedding malicious javascript within the src attribute of an img tag, leveraging the browser's handling of image requests to execute unauthorized code in the context of the victim's browser session.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the ReBB framework's processing of image URLs. When the application renders user-supplied content containing an img tag with a malicious src attribute, it fails to properly sanitize or escape the URL parameter before rendering it in the web page context. This allows attackers to inject javascript code that executes when the browser attempts to load the image resource, effectively bypassing traditional security boundaries between the web application server and client-side execution environments. The vulnerability specifically targets the HTML rendering pipeline where image tags are processed, making it particularly insidious as it leverages legitimate browser functionality to deliver malicious payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution to encompass session hijacking and credential theft through cookie manipulation. When a victim's browser loads a page containing the malicious img tag, the injected javascript code can access and exfiltrate sensitive cookies that contain session identifiers or authentication tokens. This enables attackers to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to protected resources within the application. The vulnerability's persistence across different user sessions and its ability to operate without requiring user interaction makes it particularly dangerous for applications handling sensitive data or providing privileged access controls. According to CWE-79, this vulnerability maps directly to Cross-Site Scripting flaws that occur when applications fail to properly encode output, while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.007 for scripting languages and T1531 for credential access through web application vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0413 require comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms throughout the ReBB application framework. Security implementations must enforce strict validation of all user-supplied content, particularly URL parameters and image source attributes, ensuring that any potentially malicious content is properly escaped or filtered before rendering. The recommended approach involves implementing context-aware output encoding that adapts to the specific rendering context where data will be displayed, whether in HTML attributes, javascript contexts, or CSS properties. Organizations should also consider implementing Content Security Policy headers to limit the sources from which scripts can be loaded and establish proper input sanitization routines that prevent the injection of javascript code through image tag parameters. Additionally, regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities within the application's codebase, while application developers should follow secure coding practices that emphasize input validation and output encoding as fundamental security controls.